Capelle On Golf

The Race for #1 is Tightening
The race for #1 is tightening as we wait for the next two point rich events on each players’ schedule - the Bridgestone in 10 days, and the PGA in 17. Due to aging, Mickelson and Westwood crept closer to Woods last weekend, whose points are aging like old cheese.

And, for the first time (to my knowledge) since May 18, 1997, Woods’ average has sunk below 10.0! By the time the Big Three tee it up at Firestone, their averages will likely have crept even closer.

WGR  (7/26/10)
9.97  Woods
9.24  Mickelson
9.04  Westwood

Petterson’s Asterisk Laden Weekend
On the subject of the long putter, Tom Watson recently said, “I would also get rid of big broom handle putters. That’s not a stroke.” I agree. So, the media and whoever can celebrate Carl Pettersson’s Canadian Open all they want, but as far as I’m concerned his third round 60 and his W deserver huge asterisks because he used the long wand.

Langer Steals the Senior British Open
While on the subject of the long putter, Bernhard Langer used one to steal the Senior British Open by a shot from Corey Pavin, who plays with a regulation length putter. Sure, it’s “only” a senior major, but this could happen in a real one as well.

Alexis Thompson shafted by the Ladies Golf Union
Many questioned her decision to turn pro, but it looks like Thompson knew what she was doing when she said she was ready to leave the amateurs. In her last two events she’s finished 10t in the U.S. Open, then tied for second at last weekend’s rich Evian Masters, earning nearly a quarter million dollars. For these two events she banked over $314,000, enough to put her in 16th place in the money rankings if she was an LPGA member. And yet, amazingly enough,  this 15 year old phenom was denied a chance to qualify for the British Open even though she had earned a spot in the qualifier as an amateur. Turns out she gave that up when she turned pro, and the Ladies Golf Union refused to grant her an exemption to the qualifier. This will go down as one of the five worst bureaucratic blunders of the year.

The American Ladies are Back
Just when the death knell had been sounded for ladies pro golf, Christie Kerr up and won the LPGA by 12 big shots. Then Paul Creamer was rock solid at Oakmont while winning the U.S. Open. And now this past weekend at the Evian Masters, only a lip out by Morgan Pressel from about 10 feet and a gutsy 12 footer by Jiyai Shin kept the Americans from winning for the third time in the last four events. As a bonus, Thompson shared second with Pressel, one back.

Luke Donald Under the Radar
Donald was ticketed for superstardom, but he failed to deliver on his promise - most noticeably at the 2006 PGA when paired with Tiger Woods, shooting a 74 to Woods’ 68 to lose by six. In the interim, he suffered a wrist injury that plagued him in 2008-09. Now, it seems, he is quietly working his way back to the top of the game. At the Canadian Open he finished third after tying for 11th at the British Open. For the year, Donald’s also recorded a second at Riviera, a 3t at Harbor Town, a 2t at the BMW PGA, a third at the Celtic Manor Wales Open, and a win at the Madrid Masters. That’s six top threes - three on each side of the Atlantic! The result: he is now #7 in the WGR.

FedExCup Gets Blasted
Hooray for the SI Group, who are known for holding no punches in their Monday PGA Tour Confidential. This week the gang ganged up on the infamous FedExCup. Some highlights:

“I think FedEx will do away with it. Can’t fathom them paying another $30-40 million to sponsor it. If the Tour can find another sponsor at that level, hats off to Tim Finchem.”
Rick Lipsey.

I know the other events would like to strangle it, as sponsors who spend big money to promote their own companies get FedEx signs jammed down their throats at their own tournaments. I’m not sure I’d put up with that if I was a sponsor.”
Gary Van Sickle

“I agree with Gary that the Cup just hasn’t worked. I find myself thinking, Oh, so five more weeks until we pretend to be excited about the FedEx Cup?”
Cameron Morfit